Johnny Warren MBE OAM

Johnny is one of the most respected names in the sport of soccer, with an incredible level of experience as a player, administrator and media personality. He captained the Socceroos for eight years and led Australia through three World Cup campaigns from 1964 to 1974, including major involvement in the Socceroos’ only World Cup appearance in 1974. Johnny played more than 50 full international games in addition to more than 400 domestic first division matches.

Johnny was vital in the establishment of the Canberra City Soccer Club. Building the team from scratch on a very tight budget, Johnny turned out a competitive team and identified some talented young players.

Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, Johnny held soccer coaching clinics through the ‘Johnny Warren Socceroo Academy’ at his property in Gold Creek.

These clinics helped young hopefuls in achieving their dreams of playing the best possible soccer. Johnny’s services to the game were acknowledged in 1973 when he became the first soccer identity to be presented with an MBE and in 1988 he was one of 200 sport stars to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Johnny was also an inaugural inductee into the Soccer Australia Hall of Fame. The same leadership, determination and abilities that made Johnny such a success on field, transferred across and made him one of the most insightful and dedicated sports administrators of the modern era.